The Breakspear School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at The Breakspear School get an excellent start to their education and achieve highly.

Staff are warm and nurturing and pupils feel safe as a result. Pupils know that staff will listen to them and act upon their opinions and ideas. The 'Breakspearian' qualities are explicitly taught and celebrated through assemblies and rewards each week.

As a result, pupils learn what it means to be a 'True Breakspearian' and they demonstrate this through their exemplary behaviour.

The school has extremely high expectations for pupils. This exceptional quality of education begins in early years, where children in the Nursery are taught to be confident, resilient and i...ndependent.

Routines are well established. Pupils move safely and sensibly around the school. At playtime and lunchtime, pupils support each other and play kindly.

The school is a calm and purposeful place to learn.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities and experiences through school visits and additional activities. Pupils are encouraged to become responsible, active citizens through supporting the local community and raising money for charity.

They also take active leadership roles, including as play leaders, eco-warriors and as part of the student council.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum. In each subject, leaders have identified the important knowledge they expect pupils to learn and remember.

This starts in early years where caring and attentive staff ensure there are lots of opportunities for children to develop their vocabulary and spoken language. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are well supported to use precise vocabulary to explain their feelings and manage their emotions. The focus on language and communication helps children to understand the world as well as prepare them for the next stage of learning.

Leaders ensure that all children benefit from meaningful learning across the curriculum, both indoors and outdoors. There are no wasted opportunities to develop their curiosity and resilience. For example, as soon as children start in the Nursery, they learn how to independently change their shoes to use the outdoor area.

Children are very proud once they can do this unaided. Staff build rapidly on what children already know and help children to learn routines so that lessons and activities run smoothly. As a result, children develop excellent learning behaviours and are deeply engaged.

The curriculum is designed to equip pupils with the knowledge and cultural capital that prepares them for the next stage of their education. The curriculum matches, and in some subjects exceeds, what is expected nationally. Pupils with SEND are given the right support to access the curriculum alongside their peers.

The subject content taught is carefully ordered, with pupils consistently building well on what they already know and can do. For example, in design and technology, Year 6 pupils plan, prepare and serve a three-course meal building on their previous learning about seasonality, food groups, balanced diets and different food preparation and cooking methods. Aspirational leaders continue to reflect on and adapt aspects of the curriculum so that it can be even further refined.

They consult staff regularly and ensure that professional development is a high priority. Governors understand their strategic role in supporting and challenging leaders to do this work.

The phonics and early reading curriculum is well planned and sequenced.

Staff are well trained to implement this effectively. Children in Nursery encounter and practise new words frequently. They are taught a range of rhymes and songs to help them to start to recognise simple sounds.

This prepares them to blend these sounds together to read words and books with increasing accuracy and confidence when they start their Reception year. Staff systematically check which sounds pupils know and quickly identify any pupils who need extra help in learning to read. This support is put into place promptly.

Almost all pupils quickly learn to read fluently. Teachers introduce a diverse range of high-quality books, sometimes linked to the subjects pupils are studying. Older pupils learn how to read with expression and enjoy managing the outdoor reading area at playtime and lunchtime.

Pupils' attitudes to learning are exceptional. They work hard in lessons, have impeccable manners and collaborate well with one another. Disruptions to lessons are rare, and staff feel well supported by leaders if they do occur.

The majority of pupils have high attendance. Positive and impactful systems are in place to support those with lower attendance.

Leaders have designed a comprehensive personal, social and health education curriculum.

Pupils learn how to eat healthily, maintain an active lifestyle and develop their understanding of positive mental well-being. Leaders emphasise an inclusive approach, where older pupils support younger pupils and take responsibility in the school community or environment. Leaders carefully plan clubs such as gardening, chess and sports, as well as a range of music activities to develop pupils' talents and character.

Visits to places such as the Royal Courts of Justice and different places of worship help pupils to talk confidently about the importance of rights, responsibilities and equality. Pupils and staff are rightly proud of the noteworthy work that the Junior Travel Ambassadors led on safe travel to school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.